Accommodation for international students

The student dormitories at the University of Stuttgart are operated by the Studierendenwerk Stuttgart (SWS) and the Vereinigung Stuttgarter Studentenwohnheime e.V. (VSSW).

Application

You can apply for a room in a student dormitory online on the website of the providers SWS or VSSW. It is best to apply as soon as possible! You can hand in your university admission letter later. 

Dormitory rooms for single parents or couples with children are very rare. Helpful advice is available at Living with a Child. There are some apartments with adapted facilities for accessible living. Helpful advice is available at Housing for Students with Disabilities.

Program students from our partner universities: Erasmus, overseas, and double degree students will receive further information on the application process from their respective advisors at the International Office. DAAD scholarship holders should please send a copy of their scholarship certificate to the International Office via e-mail and will then receive further instructions.

There is an age limit of 35 years in the Studierendenwerk Stuttgart (SWS) student dormitories. In the VSSW dormitories, the age limit is 29 years (at the time of application).

Doctoral students cannot apply for a place in the dormitories but can receive helpful advice at the International Office's Welcome Center for International Researchers.

Location

The majority of student dormitories are located on campus in Stuttgart-Vaihingen. Some are spread across Stuttgart and are not directly situated on campus in Stuttgart-Vaihingen or the city center. However, you can easily reach your place of study by public transport. Helpful advice is available at Campus map & directions.

Equipment and furnishing

Dormitory rooms are usually single rooms. These are spread over a floor (Einzelzimmer Flurgemeinschaft) or located within a smaller unit of 4-6 rooms (WG-Zimmer). All dormitory rooms are equipped with a table, chair, bed, wardrobe, and a bookshelf; some have a washbasin.

The rooms have a common kitchen, shared showers and toilets. You have to provide your own dishes and cutlery. You can purchase bed sheets and covers in the caretaker's office by prior arrangement. All rooms usually have internet access. In some dormitories, internet access is already set up; in others, you will have to register via Selfnet e.V.

Moving into your student dorm

You can check in to your dormitory only during the office hours of your caretaker. Therefore, please check the moving-in letter (Einzugsschreiben) you have received from the SWS or VSSW for the office hours of the caretaker. As proof of your identity, please present your passport and moving-in letter at the caretaker's office (Hausmeisterbüro).

Should the first day of your moving-in month be on a weekend or a public holiday, then you can only check in on the first following working day (Monday to Friday). It is possible to have someone collect your room keys before arrival. It is necessary to send this person (for example, your buddy) an authorization letter. Please use the form sent along with the moving-in letter.

Information on student housing operated by free or church organizations is available at Studierendenwerk Stuttgart.

If you need a place to stay for just a few days or the first months, you may consider the following options:

• International Student Hotel
• Boardinghouses
• DJH Youth Hostel Stuttgart International
• DJH Youth Hostel Stuttgart Neckarpark
• A&O Hotel Stuttgart
• Hostel Alex30
• Stuttgart short-term apartments
• Apartmenthaus Stuttgart
• Airbnb

Please consider this list as a collection of links. The University of Stuttgart cannot recommend any particular short-term accommodation.

Websites such as WG-gesucht, Immobilienscout24, Immowelt, and Kleinanzeigen can be very helpful in finding apartments or rooms in shared apartments. You may also search for a private room at Studierendenwerk Stuttgart.

Newspapers such as Stuttgarter Zeitung and Stuttgarter Nachrichten publish offers for apartments on their websites. Newspapers in the region of Stuttgart with apartment advertisements include Kreiszeitung Böblinger Bote, Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung, and Waiblinger Kreiszeitung.

The Welcome Center Stuttgart provides further information on apartment hunting as well as financing options and other topics related to housing.

Please beware of rental scams and fake online advertisements when looking for accommodation: Information about rental scams and fake ads.

Remember that advertisements for rooms are usually in German. Common abbreviations are: